fill the void that will be left in Bermuda's weather forecasting services when the US Base closes.

The 56-year-old highly-respected weather forecaster was commenting on a suggestion made by veteran yachtsman Mr. Warren Brown Jr. earlier this week.

But Mr. Hilgenberg pointed out that his future in Bermuda was not secure.

The Island Glass operations manager's work permit is scheduled to expire in March.

And The Royal Gazette yesterday learned that his employer will not be applying for a renewal of the work permit.

Island Glass president Mr. Clive Thatcher said this was because Mr. Hilgenberg wrote what he interpreted as a letter of resignation on October 24.

Mr. Hilgenberg yesterday disputed this. He said the letter was simply an assessment of personal events that had occurred over the last year in relation to his employment at Island Glass.

Mr. Hilgenberg said when Immigration agreed -- after an appeal by his employer -- to renew his work permit earlier this year, it made it clear that any further renewal would depend on "the amount of effort extended by the company to train a Bermudian''.

The company, he claimed, has not extended that effort.

But Mr. Hilgenberg said Mr. Thatcher gradually took on more and more of his responsibilities, making his job virtually redundant.

"Given all this I really have no choice but to accept the fact that I'm not going to have a job (after March),'' he said.

While Mr. Hilgenberg can remain in Bermuda and seek other employment, he believes that at his age it would be difficult to find another job that will allow him to sufficiently provide for his family.

However the weather expert, whose free service has become a life-line for yachtsmen plying the vast areas of the Atlantic, Caribbean or even the Pacific oceans, stressed that he would love to remain in Bermuda.

And Mr. Hilgenberg said, if asked, he would be interested in helping Bermuda with marine and local weather services which includes tracking hurricanes and weather forecasting.

But he noted that Bermuda would also need specialised persons for civil aviation forecasting -- which is a mandatory requirement in all places operating an Airport.

Immigration Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman, who heads the Base closure committee, was off the Island and unavailable for comment.

But Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess said it was too early to say how Government will replace the service provided by the US.

"Certainly we will have to look at all our options,'' he said. "It would be far too early to rule out any options.''